There are foods that you can eat to reduce your risk of developing cancer. It is not guaranteed that they will prevent it, but it can minimize the chances because of the health benefits that these foods provide. Eating a healthier diet is a great strategy in fighting cancer. Review these anti-cancer choices to add them to your regular meal plans.
1. Green tea. Drinking one cup of green tea a day can help boost your health significantly as this is a strong antioxidant. This cancer fighting food can be beneficial in the prevention of developing liver, breast, pancreatic, lung, esophageal and skin cancer, making this a super food. A chemical is also found in green tea called epigallocatchin-3gallate. This chemical fights against urokinase, an enzyme that produces growth of cancer. Regularly drinking green tea can lower your risk of developing these cancers and has other benefits as well.
2. Tomatoes. This vegetable contains an antioxidant called lycopene which is a cancer fighting food. It has been shown that tomatoes can protect against different cancers, such as prostate and lung cancer. In order to receive the full benefit, ensure to cook the tomatoes to release the lycopene to allow it to work properly inside your body.
3. Olive oil. This monosaturated fat is used in Mediterranean countries for a plethora of uses, such as cooking and salad oil, and can be arguably a cancer fighting food. It has been shown that the rates of breast cancer in Mediterranean countries are 50 percent lower than the United States. Olive oil is the perfect way to cook up some chicken or vegetables on the stove. Not only will it make the food taste great but will give you cancer fighting benefits.
4. Garlic and onions. These foods are not for our spooky, fanged friends. Eating garlic and onions can prevent the formation of nitrosamines. These are carcinogens that go after multiple places in the body like the colon, liver and breasts. The more that your garlic and onions smell, the more they will be able to assist in preventing cancer, as the sulfur compounds will be more active.
5. Fish. Fatty fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon, tuna and herring, have been shown to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. If fish is a food that you can not seem to stomach, another way to get in omega-3 is to mix flaxseed in your other foods.
6. Cruciferous vegetables– These types of vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. They have components inside of them that can shield you from the free radicals that cause damage to the DNA in your cells. It can also protect you from cancer causing chemicals, as well as slow down the possible growth of tumors, and promote the death of potential cancer cells. These are great vegetables to add to a stir fry or soup.
7. Berries. Berries are high in antioxidants, allowing them to naturally stop the process of free radical creation in the body that can cause damage to your cells. They also have properties that can prevent cancers from growing or spreading. Adding a handful of berries, blueberries, strawberries or blackberries, to your yogurt or afternoon snack is a great way to sneak in some cancer fighting food.
8. Tumeric. This spice has an ingredient called curcumin that could be beneficial in reducing the risk of cancer. It has been shown that this can block some cancer cells and slow the spread or shrink tumors in some different types of animals. You can easily find this orange-colored spice in grocery stores, and it can be added into a plethora of dishes to give you an extra boost of health. This also gives you a great excuse to order take out curry for dinner, as turmeric is one of the ingredients to give curry its color!
These foods aren’t guaranteed to prevent cancer but taking charge and being proactive about your health can be beneficial for you in the long run. Not only do they have potential cancer fighting properties, but they have plenty of other health benefits.
Between maintaining a healthy weight and including these foods, you will be rest assured knowing you are protecting your health.
